The 40 Day Challenge

I received this from my dear friend O'Nealya in Indiana, and I agreed to do this with her. I have five bags to take to Goodwill already. Do you have too much stuff burdening you? Look this over and see if you want to join us.

Forty Trash Bag Challenge:

Every day during Lent this year, empty one bag of 'stuff' that is no
longer needed from your house, totaling a loss of forty bags of stuff!

1.) Taking a look at the size of your family and household, with an
acknowledgement of how much 'stuff' is present, make a prudential
choice on the size of bag to be employed during this challenge. Bag
size should be small enough that the goal of 40 bags during the season
of Lent is able to be accomplished, while not being too big that you
are left with nothing. We must still live in the world, after all!

2.) If smaller children are a part of your family, a 'gauge' may be
helpful to keep them engaged and help them keep track of progress. As
part of your preparations, make a 'paper chain' of forty numbered
links. As each new bag is started, place a new link in the bottom of
the bag. This way, as the chain gets smaller, there is a greater sense
of accomplishment.

3.) This challenge necessarily involves sacrifice. Each member of the
family should be encouraged to give something to each bag, or there
could be designated bags for each member of the family.

4.) Instead of just throwing things away, recycling is a great way to
encourage good stewardship of the gifts we have been given, as it
symbolizes that we are passing along our gifts to others. Families
with children are encouraged to pass along clothes that no longer fit
or toys that sit dormant in a closet to families in need instead of
just throwing them away.

5.) Units of count need not necessarily be trash bags, either; however
they should be equivalent. For example, a box of gently used toys or
clothes could equate one bag off the chain. A stack of books donated
to the parish library is another easy equivalent.

As the family accepts this challenge together, bonds will be created
that will last a lifetime. Lessons are also learned not just by
saying, but by putting it into practice. Here, the simple lesson will
last throughout life that having fewer things can lead to a greater
contentment in life.

Thanks for the challenge, O'Nealya!!!